


Cover-ups

by crishcrash



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Best Friends, Canon Trans Character, Earth C (Homestuck), Minor Rose Lalonde/Kanaya Maryam, Pesterlog(s) (Homestuck), Platonic Relationships, Tattoos, Trans Dave Strider, Trans Female Character, but i will be damned if i dont make dave the trans man he is, but not heavily talked abt rly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-10
Updated: 2020-05-10
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:47:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24103108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crishcrash/pseuds/crishcrash
Summary: Dave has a tattoo for each of his friends. However, when Egbert comes out to him, he doesn't feel right having the same tattoo for her. With Kanaya's help, he gets a new piece for his best friend.
Relationships: Dave Strider/June Egbert, platonic doe
Comments: 4
Kudos: 59





	Cover-ups

**Author's Note:**

> hello again!!!! this one is not one of my favs but i need more june content in my life always and i love writing dave so here we goooo  
> hope this isnt weird or anything i based junes coming out to dave off of my own coming out can we say kinnie

Dave has gotten a total of four tattoos since Earth C was created: one for each of his human pals, and one for Karkat. A tribute to Jade was across his shoulderblade, a growing violet plant with a muted green pot. Rose was represented with her strifekind, knitting needles, planted on the back of his hand. Along the left side of his chest, right over his heart, was his tattoo for Karkat: two hands in embrace.

And then there was Egbert. Dave’s partner in crime for more years than either of them can count. For Egbert, there was a fluffy grey cloud sitting on his ribs. But that wouldn’t remain for long.

Dave got the cloud tattoo at a much different time in both of their lives, and it was time for a change. The cloud was, for all intents and purposes, not for who he currently knows as Egbert, and he knew first-hand how upsetting that can be. Living in the shadow of who you never were but was instead forced onto you, whether it be from a deadname or old symbolism. He’s not about to do his best friend dirty like that.

That’s how he was carried to Earth C’s finest of tattoo artists, the most exceptional amongst New Can Town. He could only go to the one and only Kanaya Maryam-Lalonde for a job like this. What they never tell you about fashion designers is that they can draw pretty damn well. When she got bored enough to put her mind to it, Kanaya swiftly picked up tattooing when she wasn’t overseeing the Carapace Kingdom 

There was only a single knock to the couple’s door before Kanaya had answered. She was never one for fucking around, especially when she’s eager for an appointment.

“Dave!” A loud expression for a woman so otherwise quiet. Before he could answer, his head was enveloped in her arms and squeezed to high hell. The tallest and strongest troll of the bunch, Kanaya never learned her strength.

“KanayapleaseI’msuffocating-” Dave strangles out.

She quickly releases her brother-in-law from her, what he had called, “gorilla grip of a hug” and pulls him inside her and Rose’s cottage. 

“My condolences for our mess, Rose and I have been so preoccupied with the carapacians. There’s simply not enough time in one solar rotation, despite the fact that we’re the gods of this planet.” Kanaya rambles out as she whisks Dave through hallways and doors that were painted a different color every time he came over. She moves so fast, he barely had a second to see the supposed mess the two had. If he knew his ectosister at all, there was no mess to be seen anyway.

He whizzes past pictures hung delicately on their walls, plants covering every corner they could squeeze them in while sunlight pours in through the windows. He’d love to stop and enjoy the scenery, but once again before he can even think to say anything, Kanaya has pulled him into her studio and down in the chair.

“So,” she chimes out, one hand already reaching down to pull the tattoo chair into a laying position. “What is it that you would like to have done this afternoon, Dave? It has been a long stretch of time since we last convened in my makeshift shop.”

“Makeshift” is the last word he would use to describe Kanaya’s room. Covered ceiling-to-floor in framed stencils, doodles, and flash designs, she has basically completely converted what was once her tailor’s room into a split between fashion design and tattoo art. She and Rose had even installed a sink for washing her hands in between tattoo sessions, a closet full of the professional-grade tattoo materials you would find back on the first Earth. She had wanted to alchemize the tools trolls used for tattooing, but they were much more violent and, uh, bug-like than human tools.

“Well, now that Egbert has let us all know what’s up, I wanna cover up my old tattoo. Replace it with some fresh ink, you know? Wanna cover it up with a plush bunny, like the one I got for her when we were kids.”

Kanaya nods, snatching out some colors, needles, stencil paper, and a fine-tipped Sharpie out of her supplies. She hesitates over her choices of colored ink before turning to Dave and asking what colors he had in mind. 

“How ‘bout an ugly ass swamp green,” he nudges his elbow into her side, eliciting a sarcastic eye roll and a small smile from the troll. “I wanted to have it be a light blue, and probably use darker blues and purples for the shadowing? I brought a picture of the original bunny, if you want.”

  
  


Dave’s hands fumble and wander through his hoodie pocket to find his phone, pulling it out and swiping through a couple apps before he gets to the photos. Slightly trembling hands display screen containing a beat-up, dirty stuffed rabbit. 

Kanaya gives the photo some examination, followed by more pondering and fussing over the colors as she reaches into the furthest depths of her cabinet before she emerges with everything she needs. Wordlessly, she goes to work on the stencil of the tattoo, studying the picture glowing from Dave’s phone screen a few more times.

At last, she picks her head up from her work to show Dave the uncolored stencil. “Is this sufficient?”

Dave could fucking cry he was so happy with it, and all-around just so excited. Getting a tattoo is always a super cool experience, but this one’s much more meaningful to him.

“Looks sick, let’s do this,” Dave beams as he pulls off his shirt and wiggles out of his binder to reveal his ribs. He gets as comfortable as one can on the black pleather chair, now elongated to allow him to lay down. “You all ready?”

Kanaya pulls on some black gloves and assembles her tattoo gun. With a fresh needle, she gives a quick test buzz and then dips the tip in black ink. “I am now prepared.”

Stretched out on his side, with his arm above his head, Dave reveals his ribs and old cloud tattoo to Kanaya. He closes his eyes and awaits the absolutely ludicrous amount of pain he’s going to be in. The needle starts at a fleshier part of his body, still painful but not nearly as bad as what’s to come when it passes over his rib bones.

Listening to the hum of the fan in the room combined with the buzz of the tattoo machine, he begins to daze off. At first, in no particular direction: thinking about what he’s gonna eat for dinner tonight, where Kanaya put his phone, _ow_ that’s his rib bone. 

The pain pulls him out of his stupor temporarily, but it only serves to remind him of where he is and why he’s here. The chat logs flash through his mind

EB: hey dave, there’s something i wanted to let you know. it’s not a big deal to tell you, i’ve just been in the process of telling everyone and it’s kinda been a lot.

TG: yeah lay it on me dude

TG: i want to feel this weighted statements warmth enveloping me

TG: all in my business

TG: snuggle it a little

EB: you really don’t make anything easy.

TG: john it is my god given duty to annoy every single friend i have

TG: how else would i know you guys actually like me

EB: right, anyway!

EB: i actually don’t go by john anymore. i was just questioning my existence, as one does, and i finally wanted to come out to my friends and tell you guys i’m a trans woman.

EB: so, you know, the whole she/her/hers shebang. and i’d like to go by june now.

TG: oh hells yea uh

TG: madam

TG: (are you still chill with dude or is that a no)

EB: (i don’t prefer it. neutral terms are all good though?)

TG: (gotcha pal)

EB: (buddy)

TG: (buckaroo)

EB: (comrade)

TG: woah there stalin

Dave was in such a trance, so used to the consistent pain of the tattoo by now, he almost didn’t hear the silence that the tattoo gun left in its wake and nearly didn’t feel the plastic wrap around his ribcage. 

“All is complete, Dave!” Kanaya said cheerfully. “Now, I know you are fully aware of the conditions a tattoo needs to heal, but I will repeat to you, since you never listened the other four times: no strenuous activity, and it is best you do not make plans immediately after you leave my home.”

“Yeahhh I know. C’mon Maryam cut me some slack,” Dave jokingly gripes as he delicately pulls his shirt back on, uncomfortably having to leave his binder off for now. “I’ll _at least_ go show her tomorrow.”

Kanaya sighs, the eye of a disappointed mother coming down on Dave. “If you must be a gremlin, at least take care of yourself properly in the time you won’t be able to bind. KT Tape, if you need, but please nothing more. This condition is one which I will smite you for not listening to.”

“Okay mom,” Dave chuckles. “And thanks.”

\--------------------------------------------------24 HOURS LATER ------------------------------------------

TG: egbert you awake

TG: i want you to know i respect your time and space

TG: that being said im coming over

EB: am i talking to the same dave strider i talked to yesterday?

EB: how are you, of all people, up at this hour. you, the same guy who uses his time powers to get an extra hour of sleep at least three days a week.

TG: great youre awake

TG: see you in ten

EB: woah, let a girl get ready at least.

TG: fine twenty

EB: i can cope with that. see you then :B

EB: but dave, i can’t help but ask, why are you so hot to get to my house anyway?

TG: cant a man wanna see his amiga

TG: his pal

TG: his sister from another mister

EB: you can stop now.

TG: his colleague

TG: fellow god

EB: i hate you.

TG: you could never my bosom buddy

  * **\- turntechGodhead[TG] ceased pestering ectoBiologist [EB] at 13:04 - -**



After a solid pestering, Dave started his process of getting ready. It typically wasn’t as much of a process as it is with a fresh coverup, but he’s been through worse. First things first: tattoo care. He removes the plastic cling film from the tattoo, washes it up and pats it dry to finally add some unscented lotion to the tender area. It sucks at first, but seeing how well the bunny turned out lets Dave push through like he did yesterday. With haste, he tapes himself up and puts on one of Karkat’s shirts, looking as if he’s swimming in fabric due to their size difference. Time for the reveal, Dave thinks to himself, and heads out the door and up into the air towards the Human Kingdom.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dave, incredibly grateful for his godtier flight abilities, lands at the Egbert residence’s doorstep a short time later. He gives an overeager _rap, rap, rap_ on the door, and moments later from the other side emerged his best friend. 

“Hey Dave! Come in so I can question why you’re wearing a ballgown of Karkat t-shirt.” June giggles as she steps aside for Dave to step in. As he does so, he becomes transported into a modest suburbia, much like what June lived in back home - with the exception of a bunch of harlequin art, which she has graciously replaced with pictures of Roxy and their first child, Harry. 

“I’ll have you know,” Dave states as he steps to the den. “there’s a very good reason for me to be wearing something so baggy. So good. At least I hope so.”

June quirks her head to the side in confusion. “What the hell are you on about now? Is the early morning getting to you?”

“Nah, nah. Just, uh, remember that tattoo I have for you? Like how I have for the rest of our group?”

“Yeah, and?” June raises and eyebrow at her friend. “I’ve seen it? I appreciate it a lot!”

“Okay, well, you haven’t seen it.” _Why am I sweating?_ Dave screams internally. _I’ve never been so nervous to show a friend their tattoo I have for them. I just want her to like it. Fuck._

“Dave, are you sick?”

“Sick as hell. Don’t forget it.”

“Not what I meant!” June scoffs and nudges Dave’s shoulder. “What gives dumbass?”

“Okay okay so I’m just gonna show you I’mreallynervousIhopeyoulikeit-” he mumbles as he shuts his eyes. With a swift yank of the bottom of his borrowed shirt, the blue bunny is revealed.

Silence, initially, is all Dave heard. Then more silence. Tentatively, Dave peaks one eye open to look at June.

“...Dave.” June has her hands to her heart, eyes locked on the tattoo. “What is this for?”

“Well, I mean, I got the cloud before I knew you as June. Ya know? I know it might be like, mayeb dumb as fuck but I just care a lot and I know I wouldn’t feel great if symbolism of pre-transition me was on someone’s body. Uh, so. Kanaya fixed it yesterday…”

More silence and big grins from the girl opposite to him. Dave isn’t good with silence.

“I hope it isn-”

“Dave, it’s gorgeous.”

“What?”

“I love it, dude!” June finally breaks her silence with the excited proclamation. In typical Egbert fashion, she dives straight at Dave, in all his awkward glory, for a bear hug. “Thank you so much.”

Dave releases his shirt to hug back, trying so hard to ignore the pangs of pain from June squeezing his fresh ink.

“Don’t mention it. Love ya, June.” 

He won’t admit it, but tears pricked into the corner of his eyes. From the joy, but also from June’s vice grip around the tattooed area. He wouldn’t have it any other way.


End file.
